For iaijutsu, single Action Feint+Quick draw.
Come to think of it, a mix of Stumbling Monk but able to do only katana Strikes and Rogue for the Sneak attack sounds pretty perfect IMO.
Or just flavor the Stumbling swing attack as a katana strike.
A ranged version of this would also be quite nice, whether for a shuriken to the face or a concealed crossbow, even if it only works once per encounter.
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Sounds an awful lot like a Rogue to me:You spring into combat faster than foes can react. On the first round of combat, if you roll Deception or Stealth for initiative, creatures that haven't acted are off-guard to you.A ranged version of this would also be quite nice, whether for a shuriken to the face or a concealed crossbow, even if it only works once per encounter.For iaijutsu, single Action Feint+Quick draw.
Come to think of it, a mix of Stumbling Monk but able to do only katana Strikes and Rogue for the Sneak attack sounds pretty perfect IMO.
Or just flavor the Stumbling swing attack as a katana strike.
When your enemy can't properly defend itself, you take advantage to deal extra damage. If you Strike a creature that has the off-guard condition with an agile or finesse melee weapon, an agile or finesse unarmed attack, a ranged weapon attack, or a ranged unarmed attack, you deal an extra 1d6 precision damage. For a ranged attack with a thrown melee weapon, that weapon must also be agile or finesse.
As your rogue level increases, so does the number of damage dice for your sneak attack. Increase the number of dice by one at 5th, 11th, and 17th levels. Gunslinger Ranger Rogue
Archetypes Alkenstar Agent*, Butterfly Blade*, Dual-Weapon Warrior*, Eagle Knight*, Red Mantis Assassin*, Rose Warden*, Vigilante*
* This archetype offers Quick Draw at a different level than displayed here.
You draw your weapon and attack with the same motion. You Interact to draw a weapon, then Strike with that weapon.
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Ninja would be cool.
Sounds an awful lot like a Rogue to me:You spring into combat faster than foes can react. On the first round of combat, if you roll Deception or Stealth for initiative, creatures that haven't acted are off-guard to you.A ranged version of this would also be quite nice, whether for a shuriken to the face or a concealed crossbow, even if it only works once per encounter.For iaijutsu, single Action Feint+Quick draw.
Come to think of it, a mix of Stumbling Monk but able to do only katana Strikes and Rogue for the Sneak attack sounds pretty perfect IMO.
Or just flavor the Stumbling swing attack as a katana strike.
When your enemy can't properly defend itself, you take advantage to deal extra damage. If you Strike a creature that has the off-guard condition with an agile or finesse melee weapon, an agile or finesse unarmed attack, a ranged weapon attack, or a ranged unarmed attack, you deal an extra 1d6 precision damage. For a ranged attack with a thrown melee weapon, that weapon must also be agile or finesse.
As your rogue level increases, so does the number of damage dice for your sneak attack. Increase the number of dice by one at 5th, 11th, and 17th levels. Gunslinger Ranger Rogue
Archetypes Alkenstar Agent*, Butterfly Blade*, Dual-Weapon Warrior*, Eagle Knight*, Red Mantis Assassin*, Rose Warden*, Vigilante*
* This archetype offers Quick Draw at a different level than displayed here.
You draw your weapon and attack...
It would work for a lot of classes. Multiple classes (rogue included) have a reason to take deception. Surprise, the sorceror has a gun! is kind of hilarious, especially for anyone who has seen a certain old animation...
Iaijutsu doesn't feel to me like an archetype founded on Feinting, though others may differ. If I were to speculate a starting point, I might suggest that Iaijutsushi Dedication (or what have you) grants an activity you can only perform if you started your turn with your weapon sheathed (or I guess with no weapon in hand?) and which let's you draw, strike, and maybe sheathe with extra damage. For some reason I want this to be a 2-action activity, so there's next to no action compression unless you take the opportunity to sheathe, but I feel like you could get away with balancing extra damage and perhaps automatic offguard on that strike.
I dont think I'd want to force the practitioner into a loop of sheathing every single round (perhaps there'd be feats for if you chose to keep it drawn for a second strike) but definitely there should be at least one feat for cinematically sheathing right after a cut--whether a free Demoralize against a creature in 30 or something even cooler, like adding a bleed to your strike retroactively by sheathing just as the spray of blood erupts from their body.
(And I'd very much want it as an archetype so yhat all of fighter-samurai, honour-champion-samurai, barbarian-ronin-samurai, and rogue-historical-ninja could have equal access if they chose to build for it (and the latter just because I bet stacking bonys damage and sneak attack on a warrior who disarming themselves for the opportunity sounds like it could be the start of a fun high-risk-high-reward playstyle... wait are we sure iaijutsu isn't already coming in Risk & Rewards?
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For iaijutsu, single Action Feint+Quick draw.
I do think the iaijutsu fantasy isn't about feinting but rather that the drawing itself is 'stronger' due to the specifics of the drawing motion. I'd probably stat it up like Vicious Blow but one action so long as both hands are holding onto the sheathe, with sheathing being the action tax. A follow up feat to parry with the sheathe.
Unless you mean 'this is how I'd run it currently' in which case the question is why Quick Draw at all.
Actually it is based on my own little experience at Iaido. It is a Draw + Strike which is definitely Quick Draw. And the techniques are designed to surprise your opponent so that they cannot defend properly. Which is the Off-guard condition.
That is when I thought of the free Deception check from Stumbling Feint.
I was also at first a bit surprised that Deception would be the skill to simulate this, but it does seem the easiest way in the RAW framework.
And it does fit using it in tense social encounters, which is definitely what the techniques I learned, where you start in the traditional sitting/kneeling position, were designed to do.
I could also see a feat for two-handed weapons that, as part of the draw, lets you use Intimidation as a feint-equivalent as you pull out your stupid big maul or whatever. Really just a lot of ways to make it dramatic and cinamatic.
That said, a specific focus spell that lets you draw, slow time, dash forward, strike, dash away, and sheath, and then Fist of the North Star happens *after* your turn, would be amazing as a three action activity.
We need some kind of "Patient Master" archetype, I think. I could even see Performance being part of it - like being able to fascinate anyone while deuling with them, keeping them from peeling off to other targets.
Iaijutsu doesn't feel to me like an archetype founded on Feinting, though others may differ. If I were to speculate a starting point, I might suggest that Iaijutsushi Dedication (or what have you) grants an activity you can only perform if you started your turn with your weapon sheathed (or I guess with no weapon in hand?) and which let's you draw, strike, and maybe sheathe with extra damage. For some reason I want this to be a 2-action activity, so there's next to no action compression unless you take the opportunity to sheathe, but I feel like you could get away with balancing extra damage and perhaps automatic offguard on that strike.
I dont think I'd want to force the practitioner into a loop of sheathing every single round (perhaps there'd be feats for if you chose to keep it drawn for a second strike) but definitely there should be at least one feat for cinematically sheathing right after a cut--whether a free Demoralize against a creature in 30 or something even cooler, like adding a bleed to your strike retroactively by sheathing just as the spray of blood erupts from their body.
(And I'd very much want it as an archetype so yhat all of fighter-samurai, honour-champion-samurai, barbarian-ronin-samurai, and rogue-historical-ninja could have equal access if they chose to build for it (and the latter just because I bet stacking bonys damage and sneak attack on a warrior who disarming themselves for the opportunity sounds like it could be the start of a fun high-risk-high-reward playstyle... wait are we sure iaijutsu isn't already coming in Risk & Rewards?
Make it 3 actions. You get to Stride, Unsheath, and Strike with added damage. You want to do the big flashy anime move, you're going to need to dedicate your entire 1st round of combat to do it. On the flip side, you are basically getting Baby Sudden Charge with a Quick Draw/Viscous Blow combo. So IMO, 3 actions feels more than appropriate for the cost.
I've written a separate thread to propose more detailed specifics, but I think a two-action feat that compresses drawing, moving, and attacking while including a few other goodies, but can only be used as your first action in combat by default, could be a good basis for a iaido-style quick-draw feat, with room for other feats to develop on this later. Although any martial art carries enough complexity to potentially accommodate a whole range of feats, I think the highlights of iaido could probably be captured in a few feats and given to classes that already fulfill the samurai fantasy to a large degree, like the Fighter. Similarly, I think all that might be needed to make the Fighter a capable switch-hitter could be a feat to increase their proficiency in a second weapon group, plus a magic item to share runes across weapons in a style similar to blazons of shared power.
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Eh, for the quick draw samurai I've always said a more restricted version of spell strike from magus would be a good way to visualize it. Maybe only usable with gouging claw (for extra slashing damage) that doesn't trigger attacks of opportunity when used or recharged. Recharge is putting the sword back in the sheath to wind up for another strike. Only usable with one handed curved slashing weapons, like the katana, scimitar, or tulwar.
Maybe a fighter class archetype? Quick draw artist? Level 2 gains improved initiative and training in acrobatics with the dedication feat, then level 4 they can select 'drawing strike' like the spell shot gunslinger does. No other spellcasting allowed from the dedication.
Seems like one class fantasy that has not been fulfilled that would be easy to cover.
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In my personal opinion, I see absolutely nothing wrong with having a thematic Ninja or Samurai class. First of all, we already have the Viking, as well as several other examples of strictly culturally-oriented content.Why does one Viking archetype mean we need full Ninja and Samurai classes?
Secondly—if you dislike the abundance of specifically Japanese elements (and I myself agree that Tian Xia draws its inspiration primarily from Japan)—the solution isn't to reject potential content entirely; rather, you should advocate for adding more "flavor" drawn from other real-world cultures. It’s not as if there aren't plenty to choose from.I don't agree that PF2's version of Tian Xia is primarily drawn from Japan at all. I'm pretty sure they hired a diverse team of Asian and Asian-American talent to explicitly guarantee Tian Xia *wasn't* primarily pop culture Japanese in inspiration.
[SLIGHTLY EDITED BY MEC 5/11/2026]
Hey keftiu! I edited this post to remove the portion that was baiting, BUT the rest of the post is very valid and also very true! Tian Xia is not primarily drawn from Japan. We did hire diverse freelancers as well as pull from our own staff of diverse Asian representation for the book.
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Huh, the mods quietly took down a few posts in this thread.
Some posts had to be removed, yeah. Some appeared to still be in good faith but had a lot of insults, and as much as I understand the meaning behind it, I think editing to paraphrase would be an ENORMOUS overstep, so they have to be removed for violating the other guidelines. It's a tricky position to be in, but we do appreciate this topic being discussed. We just have to make sure it's civil even when it's emotional.
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I will admit you can't deny the chief hierarchy of deities worshipped in the region are pretty directly lifted from Shintoism. As of 2e there are plenty of clearly Chinese and SE Asian inspired gods, but Shizuru's preeminence as the leader of the pantheon and the figures directly tied to her story does mark a distinct Japanophilia baked into the setting.